Employment relations service Acas has published a booklet aimed at helping employers deal with workplace conflicts more efficiently.
Managing conflict at work is designed to help employers better understand and manage conflict situations. It is a practical guide covering the signs, causes, management and prevention of conflicts, and provides employers with sources for help, including mediation and arbitration.
Acas chairman Rita Donaghy said: "Conflict is a fact of life, but the effect it has on an organisation depends on how it is managed. The benefits of being proactive about conflict management can be significant.
"When managers are not given the necessary skills to resolve issues, it can often seem easier to avoid the situation and hope it will go away, but that is how problems escalate."